Wallabies look for improvement against Japan after nervous debut under Kiss
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union – Six Nations Championship – England Training – Pennyhill Park Hotel, Bagshot, Britain – February 20, 2019 England head coach Eddie Jones with London Irish head coach Les Kiss during training Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
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MELBOURNE, Aug 13 : Les Kiss has swung the axe and demanded a more direct performance from Australia in their second test against Japan on home soil on Saturday after his Wallabies coaching debut in Osaka was nearly spoiled by an error-strewn display.
Australia eked out a 35-32 win in a hot and humid first test but were rarely convincing, blowing plenty of opportunities to put Eddie Jones’ Japan under sustained pressure.
“We probably overplayed at our end a few times, and we tried to attack space that was like fool’s gold … we probably needed to be a bit more direct,” Kiss told reporters on Thursday.
“When we were direct, I think we made a good impression on the game and could show our skills. It was a tough outing. You’d expect nothing less in test rugby, though.”
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Kiss has overhauled his forward pack, retaining only hooker Josh Nasser and his captain, number eight Harry Wilson, in the starting 15, while resting star loose forward Rob Valetini and demoting Fraser McReight to the bench.
Rookie flyhalf Declan Meredith has also been dropped after some poor decision-making under pressure against Japan, with Carter Gordon welcomed back for his first test since being injured against Ireland.
Gordon started superbly against the Irish before his calf setback and Kiss is eager to see the playmaker stretch the Japanese defence.
“We know what Carter can bring. He’s built up his robustness and is ready to go again,” he said.
“He takes the line on. We believe we can open up and stretch this opposition we’re playing against.”
Japan coach Jones was hugely disappointed that his team fell short in Osaka despite an impressive display by flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito, a university student who had not played a professional game before being called up by Jones.
Ito will be joined by another student in the shape of Waseda University’s Yoshitaka Yazaki, who Jones named on the wing but said would play as a second fullback in Townsville.
Yazaki is one of five changes to the starting 15, including three in the backline.
“We’ve set ourselves the task of really taking it to Australia this week,” said Jones, a former Wallabies and England coach.
“We’re very disappointed to lose the last game, so the most important thing now is how we take on this game.”
Source: Reuters
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